Response To Literature
Your response deals with the “Big 4”
1. Meaning
2. Codes & Conventions
3. Connections
4. Judgement
1: Meaning
1. What is the meaning/message of each text?
2. How does each text relate to the guiding
question?
3. Establish the purpose and audience of the
text.
* BE SURE TO PROVIDE EXAMPLES, AND
DISCUSS THEM!
Example: Short Story
Goalie is a short story written by Rudy Thauberger. This story was written
specifically for sports fans (we can see this through the attention to details about
the goalie’s equipment and techniques). The author wants to entertain the reader,
but also make him/her to think about the pressure and pain that devoted players
go through every game. Thauberger’s main message is that people put incredible
pressure on themselves when they are doing the things that they most love. We
see this in the story when the goalie begins to practice. He pushes himself hard
because he wants to get better, and wants to be the best at something he loves.
Even though the games cause him intense physical and psychological pain, he
perseveres. Thauberger conveys this through the goalie’s statement to his worried
father: “What choice do I have? What else have I ever wanted to do?” (3). The
goalie loves playing hockey and being a goalie, even though there is pressure from
fans, players, and even his coach – “without the game, he’s miserable”, says his
father (2). He endures the pain because without the game, his life is empty.
Referring to the quotation in the guiding question, “Playing the game: finding the
balance between passion and pressure”, we see how the goalie feels forced to
follow his passion, to be the “perfect” goalie, even though this means dealing with
crushing pressure. It seems like he hasn’t found the balance yet, though… he
constantly shows his anger – by messing up the garage, breaking his hockey sticks.
In the end, as his dad says, “Win or lose, he comes home angry”.
Example: Photo Essay
The photo-essay “Playing the Game” asks its viewers to consider the
passions, joys, and pressures of hockey. The intended audience would be
people who have played the game, since the different settings (ponds,
parks, and arenas) will evoke strong memories for anyone who has laced
up skates before. The collection of images gives the message that hockey
is for everyone, but that the more organized the game, the more pressure
players will face. We can see this in the carefree play of “Backyard
Gathering” and “The Spirit of the Game”, where players are playing in
backyards and on frozen ponds. It seems like sport for fun. Meanwhile,
“Hockey Girls” and “Facing Off” show the more intense nature of
organized sport.
This photo essay deals with the guiding question by showing that as the
sport gets more organized, the level of passion gives way to more
pressure.
2: Codes and Conventions
Short Story
• Identify one literary
technique (give quote or
specific example)
• Explain how it is used in the
story (how does it affect the
message or the reader?)
• Is this technique effective?
Photo Essay
• Identify one photographic
technique (give specific
example)
• Explain how it is used in the
photo essay (how does it affect
the message or the viewer?)
• Is this technique effective?
Choose your preferred text
(the one you will use for the rest of the exam).
•Jusftify / explain why you have chosen to deal with this text.
3: Connections
Text Connection
• Make a detailed
connection between
your preferred text and
another text.
– Book, poem, song, short
story, film, TV show, etc.
• Look for deeper
connections (ie: think
about similarities in
meaning or theme).
Global Issue/Event
• Make a detailed
connection between
your preferred text and
a global issue, or a
world event (can be a
historical event).
4: Judgement
1. Explanation of the quality of the preferred
text.
– Is this text well written? Why?
– What could be improved? Why?
2. Explanation of how well preferred text
addresses (answers) the guiding question.
*
Don’t just restate ideas from earlier in your
response!